Fantastic photos, thank you! And what a feat, 19 bags is something to brag about, ha,ha!

If you ever decide to get an aftermarket PDC, I'd like to know what you went with and how that worked. You might be able to get information from mike at www.newministuff.com.

 

Congratulations. Great pictures and writeup. We have about one week to go for ours. According to our MA, it should have arrived at the port of Carolina last Friday.

 

The car looks great - I haven't seen the Interchange Yellow in person yet, but I really like the pictures!

So, did your MA explain to you how the "openometer" works? It looks like your in-dash display is showing "2:44" twice - I'm assuming one is the current meter reading, and the other is a lifetime reading? The part that really confuses me is that the openometer only looks like it goes up to 6 or 7 hours, but I can't figure out what makes it reset back to zero. You said that you accumulated the 2:44 over the course of two days, so obviously just shutting off the engine doesn't reset the openometer. Does it reset back to zero if you put the top up even once? Or do you have to reset it manually, like a trip odometer?

 

Ooops!

 

So from what I have read and based on the computer, the opermeter dial is just a nice way of displaying the number of hours and minutes (up to 6 hrs 59 min) the top has been down with the engine running (regardless if you're moving or not). It doesn't reset on it's own, but only when you manually reset the Convertible Top Trip Odometer.

In my picture, the lifetime and the Convertible Top Trip Odometer both show the same values along with the Openmeter becuase I have not reset it yet. I plan to reset it everytime I fill up gas along with the regular trip meter.

Now this is where it gets more "social". There will be a web site coming around the Q4 timeframe from Mini where you'll be able to post this information online in your account. I don't know what happens when you do, but it's a social engineering web site of sorts. I'm thnking Facebook for specifically for the 2009 and + Mini Convertible.

Updated: Also since you kindly choose to host the PDF manual for all of us, I had gone through it a few dozen times, so there wasn't much my MA had to go through with it.

 

Thanks for the explanation - I guess the manual reset for the openometer is the only thing that makes sense. When I originally heard about it, I thought it might do something fancy like count up when the top's open and count back down when the top's closed, but I realized that unless your up/down ratio was almost exactly 50/50, over time the meter would end up either pegged at zero or pegged at 7 hours. I'm glad that the computer records the lifetime top-down total, though - that'll be neat to watch as the years go by.

 

Thanks for the info. I went out this morning and looked at the front passenger tire, and there is indeed an RSC in a circle... It's very small, so I had to look very carefully to find it.

Thanks for the info.

 

What I really want is a factor stealth rear view camera instead of an after-market online. My Infiniti has one of those stealth factory cameras, but that doesn't seem to be an option for US market Mini Convertible. I did see one on the www.newministuff.com web site and it's description was factory, however it also said they won't sell it unless they do the install. Ahh, too bad. I'm not about to re-ship my Mini back to the UK. I already waited too long for it to make the trip once

 

It's a modification waiting to happen! The possibilities are many, just need something like a USA newministuff to open up...it could happen!

 

EXCELLENT!! CONGRATULATIONS!!

 

That's a great looking car, congrats. I love the cool kidseats and the Safeway story. Post a pic of the whole foursome motoring! I don't have PDC but if it makes you feel any better I remember longtime forum person/shift **** maker Robin Casady got PDC and backed right into something pretty soon after he got his car so how great can it be?

 

zanary

You would never guess!! She is here.. !!!!!!We pick up our R57 around 1pm tomorrow..Got the call about 5pm today.. To say we are excited is to put it mildly.. I hope it doesn't diminish..
I have a old many times posted question..What would you have in the car. Would you use floor mats or floor liners..?

 

I don't like the factory carpeted floor mats, because they're thin & stiff (kind of "cheap" feeling), and really show the dirt. They're also prone to sliding around. I know a lot of people like the rubber mats (I'm assuming that's what you mean by "floor liners"), but my problem with them is that as the rubber wears and gets dull, there's really nothing you can do to restore the finish. But if you're just concerned about what will protect the carpet the best and not slide around, the rubber mats are probably the best OEM solution.

I went with aftermarket Cocomats on my car and love them. They're not cheap, but they won't move even a millimeter, they look great and they wear like iron. I think in the past three years, I haven't done anything to them except vacuum them 3-4 times. I've never washed them, but they simply don't show any dirt.

 

Hey Gonepostal. Congrads on your new mini. Excitment should last a very long time. Ours is not even a week old, and we're still amazed at how awesome a convertible is, especially since the weather so far has been around 95 so far. That sensation of driving off the dealer's lot the first night hasn't worn off. I sill love the feelign of the top going down, as my tunes are playing in the background, then feeling the warm wind enter the cabin. Enjoy every minute of it as I'm sure every Mini owner should.

As for the mats, I went with the Mini carpeted mats, plus the rubber boot mat as well. Rubber for the back as it is where we put everything we travel with, so it gets plenty of use. Carpet mats from Mini also have those Auger Retentation System. Basically but piece of plastic that screws the mat into the actual bottom of the frame (there are pilot holes already). I haven't put them on yet, as my mats so far have not moved, but I'm sure they will one day.

Also I chose to get the glove box organizer. As stupid as it sounds, it actualy serves a purpose for us. It allows the manuals in that leather carry case to remain at the bottom, while the two compartments above my Fast Track Toll RFID transponder in the elastic, and in the other I have that 3-way USB/iPod cable thing that my Mini came with. I always keep the globe box and the rear seats locked, and I use the "secret carparment" for my wife and my sunglasses. This way there's nothing in the vehicle that isn't somewhat protected so I can park it topless and walk away.

 

Funny thing is that I don't recall seeing any pictures of the 1st Gen Convertible with two toddler seats... Guess mine may be the first, and it's possible in my opinion for the entire family to enjoy the top down experience.

I'll try and take a picture this weekend of the family in their assigned sets. I've already been stopped by many on my street asking me about the Mini. Funny thing is that most of them were amazed that Mini Convertibles had four seats. I'm just wondering how much better the Convertible sales would be if Mini actually did some mass advertising about their new Convertible.

 

Thanks for the info guys.. If anyone else has thought on the the mats or liners.. Do tell. We are in the snow belt.. Do know if we will drive or store her for winter.. Just sort of feeling things out..
I'll try and remember to ask the dealer about the alarm sensors with the top down..
Also.. some pics once we settle back home.. It's a two hour drive..Another rainy day here tomorrow. But they say 70's on the weekend...yahoo....

 

Hey Zanary,

I've attached my iphone 3g and the radio controls it great and Blue tooth is great, but I notice the phone doesnt seem to charge that great. Even tho it says it is, it seems to do it slow (if at all) sometimes.

Have you noticed this?

 

I haven't had it connected that long so I can't comment on the charging slow, however I have seen threads on the NAV/Radio forum for the 2nd generation, and I think it has something to do with Apple going from 12 down to 5V and the cable that Mini provided was not designed with this change in mind, since Apple made the decision after Mini manufactured the cable. There was some talk about Mini provided the correct cable after the fact, but I have yet to see a thread about this new cable.

I plan to order the cradle this weekend when I visit my dealer. I'm hoping the cradle will resolve the issue. I also heard that in addition to charging, the cradle will allow the iPhone to use the Mini antenna on the roof, so maybe it will get better receiption??? I don't know for sure, but I read that on the same thread in the NAV/Radio forum. I might also inquire about the cable it self, but I will have to find that thread and take a copy with me to the dealership.

I'll let you know what I find out.

 

Another vote for Cocomats . I too got the carpeted Mini mats with my car. Waste of a benjamin. My Cocomats are a year old and they look like new, don't move at all, and I just take 'em out and whack 'em on the cement every few months just for drill. But the best thing about them is the looks.

 

Zanary,
On your specs it mentions the JCW AEro Kit II with Brake ducts Are they real or are they just for show. The kit I saw did not actually go through they were just black plastic.

 

Hey BRGminime,

There are multiple kits available depending on what you want.

There is just the original JCW Aero Kit without break duct kit: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...45&hg=51&fg=95



There is just the new JCW Aero Kit II without break duct kit: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...93&hg=51&fg=95



[This is what I ordered] Then there's the new JCW Aero Kit II with break duct kit: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...61&hg=51&fg=95




Ofcourse if you already have one of the first two, you can just purchase the break duct kit: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...04&hg=51&fg=95



And if you didn't want the entire JCW Aero Kit, then you can just purchase the front of the JCW Aero Kit with the break duct kit: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...01&hg=51&fg=95



And finally, you can also purchase just the front of the JCW Aero Kit II with the break duct kit: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...01&hg=51&fg=95




So I'm guessing there are plenty of options to choose from. I think most of the compelte kits are available fully painted at the factory (They were on backorder a few weeks back), otherwise the primed version can be painted by your dealership. I went with the primed version and had my dealer match the paint exactly.

 

ZANARY...
Got our mini and having some fun.. Took a few pictures but can figure out how to post them like you did.. Great photos..Nice and big , great shots.. Can you give me a clue..I got one picture but it went in my gallery.. Thanks in advance.. Great weather here in Pa. 80's Feels like Calif. Valley weather..

 

Congrads GonePostal. Glad to hear you having fun, and trust me when I say it will last a very long time. As for photos, my large photos above are actually hosted elsewhere, and I inserted a link in my post above. That's why they are so large in the post, and larger when you click on them.

Alternatively, you can add three pictures to each post you write. When you create a new message, or reply to an existing one (not quick reply), near the bottom of the screen you'll find a button titled "Manage Attachments". Click on that point, select the three pictures from your machine you want to attach to the mssage, and you're all done. Keep in mind that there is a limit to the amount of space allocated to you, so you want to keep the pictures small enough so that they are viewable, but not too large so they don't take up much space.

I haven't been successful at putting pictures in my gallary, so I'll have to play around with that feature of NAM.

Hope this helps.

 

zanary: LOVE the car! My wife wondered if two seats would fit in the back. I SWORE they would and now you have proven that they can! Wonder if I can push her into a purchase for a second car for her now!

CONGRATS ON THE CAR!!!!! Happy Motoring!

 

Not only do two car seats fit perfectly, with the top down you can install them in under 5 minutes. Mini makes reaching the LATCH much easier than many other vehicles as they have little plastic covers that make then so accessible. And for the top teather (which on the Mini is a bottom teather), those are accessibly by the rear boot. I did decide to remove the new head reset when I use the car seats, as you have to lift them to their first notch in order for the car seat to fit snuggly, however then it reduce rear visibility. Just taking them out for now also keep them in like new condition so when I need them in about 5 years, they'll be like they came from the factory.

My kids love the open top driving, and waving their hands in the warm air as it passes over them while they repeat the words "more", "fast", "ohh oh"... It makes you feel like purchasing the new Convertible was a wise choice for the entire family...